Experimental investigation on the influencing factors of preparing three-phase foam

A three-phase foam is considered one of the promising advanced materials for fighting fires. However, the preparation conditions, cost and effect are key factors for industrial applications. In this study, new three-phase foam systems with fly ash and a complex surfactant are proposed. Five types of surfactants alcohol polyoxyethylene ether sodium sulfate, coconut oil diethanolamine, sodium lauryl sulfate, polyacrylamide and polyether-modified silicone resin emulsion were selected as foaming agents. Through laboratory experiments, the effect on the expansion ratio and foam stability of the surfactant type/concentration, fly ash particle concentration/size and pH were investigated. The foaming condition was determined by numerical optimization. The results of this study may serve as a reference for understanding the preparation of a novel threephase foam. It is hoped that this work could provide useful guidance for the preparation of efficient three-phase fire-extinguishing foam for the safe guarding of process safety in the field of chemical production, transportation, and storage suitable for drug delivery than Al12P12 and Al12N12 based on their recovery times.